Importing reports from one Workspace to another

[Anonymous]

I am having issues when I change a data source from one PBI Workspace to another.  The PBI datasource is the same SSAS service model for both workspaces.

Within PBI desktop I chose "Edit Queries" -> "Data Source Settings"

I then browse to the "new" workspace (which has a PBI connection to the same SSAS model as the original workspace, the datasource is named the same as the original)

After chosing the new workspace data source, many of my visualisations report an error (meaningless one!)

If I then save my PBI report, close, then reopen, some of the visulisations seem to be working again, but not all.

When I review the visualisations that are still not working, it would seem that the user (creator of the report) has renamed the fields for the visulisation.  Could this be the cause?

Any ideas?

[v-jiascu-msft]

Hi @Anonymous,

What's the connection type of the dataset in the Service to SSAS? Direct Query or Import? I tested the Direct Query mode. Since there is no way to change the dataset, switching between two App workspace seems fine.

If your mode is Import, there could be a chance that the two datasets are different.

Best Regards,

Dale

[Anonymous]

Apologies for the length of this, but I wanted what we are doing to be clear.

One issue we initially had with PBI was every time we created a PBI report which itself had a "Live" connection to an Azure SSAS model and deployed, we would end up with multiple datasets all named the same as the PBI report; when in fact, each of these PBI reports were pointing to the same Azure SSAS model.

The introduction of the data source "Power BI Service" allowed us to overcome this issue; by first deploying a "blank" report, itself pointing "Live" to our Azure model, naming the report how we wanted the resulting dataset to be named.  Thereafter, any subsequent reports were created by using the Power BI Service existing connection as that reports data source, e.g. many reports, one dataset.

So, I have 2 workspaces; we have deployed 2 "blank" reports, 1 each to each of these workspaces, each report are pointing to a different Azure Tabular models as a "Live" connections; both of the azure models are named the same (and are in fact the same, one is our production, the other development), and both of the blank reports are named the same, thus, resulting in a dataset in both worksapces named the same, one pointing to the production version of the model, the other to the development version.

I assumed, that I could open up a PBI desktop report, click the "Edit queries"->"Data Source Settings" option and simply switch the connection from one app workspace to the other, e.g. test our development changes.

I am finding that this works, so long as the report does not contain vizulisations where the report developer has not renamed a column (this is a separate issue which I appreciate is not ideal); if they have renamed a column, then the vizulisation does not work, indicating it can not find the offending column.  This is my issue.  It seems that the PBI desktop report does not retain sufficeint metadata information regarding the renamed column?

Thanks

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

I think I have worked out the issue.

When I open the PBI Desktop report and change its datasource from one workspace to another workspace (remember, the difference between the 2 connections is one is pointing to the production the other to the development of the same model), the PBI visualisations all display errors.  Nothing I do at this point will correct the errors.

However, if I save, close, then reopen the PBI report, all of the visualizations (pointing to the new source) work; even those that are pointing to renamed columns.

There is a small element of inconsistency with this behaviour if the user has added a calculated measure, further investigation on this.

[Anonymous]

I think you are using direct query with SSAS model and sometimes it happens with direct quries.

Connection could be broken in PBI desktop and data will not retrive. 

Use refresh every time in PBI desktop and check at PBI services.

Thanks,

Shubham

[Anonymous]

Not quite.  The data connection is a PBI Service connection; this connection is pointing to the Azure SSAS model.

Refreshing does not fix the problem.